Needle threader



Jan. 4,, 1944. H. w. APPLETON NEEDLE'THREADER Filed Margh 3, 1941INVENTOR l/E/VEY MAP/345m 6 5- ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 4, 1944 UNITEDSTATES PATENT, orFlcs Henry W. Appleton, Passaic, N. J Application March3, 1941, Serial No. 381,571

Claims. .(Cl. 223-99) This invention relates to needle threaders and, amore particularly, to such adapted for threading needles of varioussizes.

The principal object of my invention, generally considered, is toprovide a device for threadin a hand sewing needle which will besimpler, cheaper and more certain in operation than those now on themarket.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simplified needlethreader consisting essentially of a threading element proper, ahousing, and means for pivotally mounting said threading element in saidhousing.

A further object of my invention is to provide a needle threader whichis dependable, foolproof in operation, and adapted to accommodate a widerange of needle sizes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, relating to theparticular arrangement and construction of the various parts, willbecome apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawing illustrating my invention:

Figure 1 is an enlarged side elevational view of a needle threaderembodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view, looking at the needle threader fromthe left as seen' in Figure 1, modified.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional viewon the,

line IIIIII of Figure 2, in the direction of the arrows. I

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line IVIV of Figure 1, inthe direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail,like parts being designated by likereference characters, the body portion, casing, or housing I!) of theneedle threader illustrated is composed of two complementary parts, I!and I2, which together form a recess It in which a threading element orhook device I4 moves. The recess may be formed part- 1y in one half, II,and partly in the other half, l2, of the housing W, as illustrated, orit may be all formed in one of said parts. The housing I0 is desirablyformed of a plastic composition moulded to a desired shape such asillustrated, but it may be made of stamped metal or other suitablematerial. One of the halves, such as H,

' eye 29 is is desirably formed with outstanding "dowels l5,

' I6, I! and I8 snugly receivable in corresponding recesses'or pocketsl9, 2|, 22 and 23 inthe cooperating member l2. In this way the parts areheld in proper relation with respect to one another.

The threader or threading element I4 is desir receive the ablyformed'as' a: spring metal stamping. It is relatively thin andresilient, and comprisesal'hub 24 through which passes a rivet, eyeletor other pivotal member 25, which performs the additional function ofholding the parts ll and I2 of the housing together. An additionalrivet. or rivets may be employed if desired to hold the parts of thehousing together. The hub 24"'carries a radial arm 26, from the freeendof which extends a desirably circumferential" or curved portion 21terminating'in a hook 28. The relation between the cavity l3 and thethicknessof the threader element I4 is such that it is guided at alltimes and prevented from moving to' any appreciable extent from itspres'cribedpath.

In order to operate the threadingele'ment Mso that it swings from theposition indicated in'tlie full'lines in Figure3, to'that shown in doted lines where the hook portion 28- passes through the eye 29 'of aneedle 3 l, there is in the present embodiment an operating arm 32 whichextends from the hub 24 beyond the boundary of the housing [0, so thatit maybe moved by a finger of the operator.

In order to hold a needle 3| in place, the-hous ing portions II and I2are provided with cooperating grooves 33 and 34 which togetherprovide'a'generally cylindrical pocket or well 35 for the reception of'said needle. The needle 'well ex,- tends from the top of the casing 10as viewed in the figures, to below the cavity l3, so that the normallypositioned on the circumference which is'traversed by the hook 28 whenthe threading element is moved to the dotted position, as viewed inFigure 3. 'The lower endof said well 35 is formed so that when theneedle 3-? is dropped in place, to the position illustrated, it

turns if necessary so that its eye is in position to ook; 28., Thatis,'thelower terminal ;of-the needle well is generally pointed invertical section, as indicated at 36in Figure 1, as viewed from theside, while'trunca'ted in vertical section as viewed from the end of thehousing, as indicated by the reference character 31 in'liigureizIntermediate horizontal sections are, therefore, generally ovalorelongated.

The portions of the housing beyond the'needle well '35; that is. at theother side of saidwell from the rivet 25 and'threader cavity l3, arespaced as indicated to provide a thread release 'slot The peripheralcontour about said slotted portion is as seen at the left of Figures 1and 3; that is,

there is a notch 39 for thereception ofthe thread 4|, shown in. place insection,

said notch being defined by an "nderlyingprojection 43' extending beyondthe spaced portions providing for the thread release.

The needle threader cavity I3 is extended into the projection 63, asindicated at 44, to receive the hook portion 28 when the threader I4 isprojected through the eye 29 of the needle 3| The function of thisconstruction is to insure that the threader hook 28 is housed at alltimes, and so avoid any possibility that it may become accidentlydamaged in use. The notch 39 extends below the path of movement of thehook portion 28 so that when the thread is drawn toward the extreme rootof the notch, the hook upon its return movement will engage the threadand draw it through the eye of the seated needle 3|.

The threader recess 13 desirably terminates in a shoulder 45 againstwhich the radial arm 26 abuts at the limit of its outward movement, anda shoulder 46 against which the operating arm 32 abuts at this point.The recess shoulders 41 and I8 likewise serve as abutments for the arms26 and 32, respectively, at the limit of their inward movement.

The threader disclosed may be operated as follows:-The device is heldbetween the thumb and second finger of one hand, with the index fingeron the arm 32 with the needle well 35 in a vertical or approximatelyvertical position. If the threaderelement I4 is not in the positionshown in full lines in Figure 3, the index finger is moved forwardtoward the needle well, moving the arm 26 and hook portion 28 rearwardlyto that position.

The needle 3! is then dropped eye down into the needle well 35. Theshape of the seat 3631, and the fact that it is of proper depth so thatthe eye lies on the path of movement of the hook '28, causes the needleto come to rest in the position illustrated.

The index finger then moves the arm 32 away from the needle well andthus causes the hook 28 to pass through the eye 29 of the needle 3|, tothe position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3.

The thread, shown in cross section at 4|, is now drawn across and downtowards the bottom of the thread channel or notch 39, which brings itinto position to be caught by the hook 28 upon its return movement tothe full line position shown in Figure 3, where it draws a loop ofthread through the eye 29.

The needle may now be withdrawn from the needle well with a doublethread through its eye. .In order to be sure to release the thread fromthe hook 28, the latter is caused to move partly toward the needle well,and the needle may then be withdrawn without difliculty from its well,the thread passing through the thread escape slot.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have devised aneedle threader which is simple in construction, eflicient in operation,and durable in that there is no danger of unintentional damage to thedelicate threading element. On account of the preferred .manner offormation of the threading .or hooked element, the same is adapted tobend slightly in the plane in Which it lies and so accommodate .itselfto needles of diiferent sizes and eye positions, that it will passthrough the eyes of .a greater variety and number of sizes of needlesthan most other needle threaders.

On the other hand, on account of being confined closely in the receivingcavity, there is little danger that it will be bent out of shape. Shouldthe hook become caught on a thread, any

yank or pull will be transferred to the hook only as a straight tensionin the direction of the length of the hook, and on account of the hightensile strength of the metal forming the hook, no harm can be done. Asthe hook is protected against a sidewise pull beyond the clearancelimits of its cavity, it cannot be bent sidewise or out of the plane inWhich it normally lies.

Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has been disclosed, itwill be understood that modifications may be made Within the spirit andscope of the appended claims. It will also be understood, that althoughthe dowel pins, I5, it, I! and 18, are preferably integral with one halfof the housing H], such as H, for example, and snugly received in thepockets i9, 2!, 22 and 23 of the other, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, ofthe halves l l and I2, yet they may, if desired, be formed separate andsnugly fit both halves for the same purpose, as shown in Figure 2.

I claim:

1. A needle threader comprising a two-part housing, an oscillatingthreading element comprising a resilient stamping with a hook extendingas an integral continuation directly from .a radial arm thereof and ahub, pivot means intersecting and holding the hub portion and parts ofsaid housing together, said hook being generally circumferential withrespect to said pivot means and said housing being formed with a welladapted to hold a needle with its eye in line for reception of saidbook.

2. In combination, a two-part body portion, a needle threader devicehaving arms projecting directly from a hub thereof, a hook extendingcircumferentially from the end of one arm, the other arm of said deviceextending beyond said body portion to be operatively engaged by apersons finger, and means intersecting said hub and body portion forholding the parts of the latter together and pivoting the formerthereto, said body portion having a well for receiving a needle forlongitudinal and axial movements only until its eye lies in the path ofsaid hook, and an edge I notched to receive a thread to be engaged bysaid hook for drawing it through the eye of said needle.

3. A needle threader comprising a two-part body portion providing a pairof recesses, one of said recesses forming a needle well, a threadingelement, means pivoting said element to and simultaneously holding theparts of said body portion together, so that said element is housed bysaid body portion and swingable to a limited extent in said otherrecess, the parts of said body portion, defining radial edges of saidother recess, forming stops for limiting swinging of said element, saidelement comprising a hub portion, operating means extending from oneside of said hub portion to beyond said housing, and a radial portionextending from another side of said hub portion and terminating in aportion integral therewith and circumferential with respect to said hubportion, the free end of said circumferential portion being formed as ahook and positioned so that, as it swings about the axis of pivoting, itwill pass through the eye of a needle when positioned in said well,

4. A needle threader comprising a two-part body portion with a needlerecess, a hook device closely housed and swingable in another recess insaid body portion, said device comprising a hub portion, a radialportion extending from said hub portion, and a circumferential portionterminating in a hook extending as a continuation from the free end ofsaid radial portion, a rivet performing the double function of holdingthe parts of the body portion together and passing through said hubportion to pivot the hook device to said body portion, and meansintegral with, projecting from a side of the hub portion different fromthat from which said radial portion extends, and operable from outsideof said body portion, so that the hook device is swingable into the eyeof a needle when disposed in the recess.

5. A needle threader comprising a housing formed as two complementaryparts which together define a needle well and a recess, a threadingelement swingable in said recess and comprising a hub portion housedclosely in a portion of said recess, a member passing through the hubportion and said complementary parts, and performing the double functionof a pivot for the threading element and means holding the housing partsin assembled relation about said element, said threading element alsoincluding an arm projecting radially from said hub portion beyond thenear edge of said housing and engageable by the finger of an operatorfor moving said threading element about its axis of pivoting, anotherradial arm, extending from said hub portion and having a circumferentialcontinuation at its end, the free end of said continuation being formedas a hook positioned so that as the threading element swings about thepivot the hook will pass through the eye of a needle when positioned insaid well, the recess flaring from the hub-receiving portion to allowthe threading element to swing, while providing stops at the ends of thedesired path of travel, and being of such depth that it closely confinessaid element and protects it from undesired bending.

HENRY W. APPLETON.

